1. Technical Field
This invention relates to cup carrier of a disposable one-time use configuration. Such holders are formed from folded or molded cardboard and will allow for easy transport of multiple drinks with a single hand. Such cup carriers are principally found in fast food establishments and are thrown away after a single one-time use.
2. Description of Prior Art
Prior art devices of this type have used a variety of different folding configurations; see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,196,807, 5,927,502, 3,640,380, 6,298,992, 5,743,389 and D421,898.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,807 the universal cup carrier is disclosed formed of a single folded fiber board carrier configuration having a central handle portion and convergent pairs of apertured panels hinged together. The cups are slid through the apertures interengaging the multi-hinged panels which engage and hold the cup on its annular side surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,502 is directed towards a food and beverage container carrier in which a cardboard blank is cut and scored so as to form a carrier configuration with a central handle so as to provide cups to extend through apertures within the sidewalls in which the cups are wedgeably secured in the apertured openings.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,640,380 discloses a portable food and drink carrier which has a general box-like configuration in which the sidewalls of the box have a hinged circular cut-out which is deployed horizontal to the sidewall and provides a ring with an apertured acceptance for a cup. A second form of the invention shows a central handle portion and panel in which apertured rings are hingeably deployed so as to accept a cup vertically adjacent to the panel with a base extending from the panel at right angles on which the cup is rested.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,992 discloses a foldable food and beverage carrying device which includes a base member having a bottom hole for insertion of a food container and positioning of a beverage on top of the container supported by a hinged apertured ring from oppositely disposed sidewall panels with a handle grip in its top portion. U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,389 claims a reversible food and beverage vessel carrier which provides a flat paper stock blank and is appropriately die cut and folded to form an inverted box with upstanding sidewalls forming a handle at the top. The box is configured with openings through which beverage containers can be selectively and wedgeably positioned.
Finally, in design patent 421,898 a bag and beverage cup holder is disclosed which shows a cardboard configuration forming a base with upstanding sidewalls and a central handle portion. Oppositely disposed cut-outs in the sidewalls hingeably deploy a container receiving ring through which a beverage container is positioned and rests on a portion of the base which extends outwardly through an opening in vertical alignment with the support ring cut-out.